Instructions and Eligibility

Participants in the HERO Program can not participate in any other portions of ERHL Programs

NOTE :

Rules, guidelines, and procedures for the HERO Program are subject to change without notice. The guarantee that your home will be processed under the program only occurs once the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources receives a preliminary rating for your home, as submitted by a home energy rater that is listed on our website at the time of this preliminary. Your rebate will be based upon the guidelines that are in place at the time that the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources receives your preliminary rating.

I. Building a New Home

Note: In order for New Homes to participate in the HERO Program, the participant must choose a Louisiana HERO Certified Home Energy Rater from the list of "Certified Home Energy Raters" located at DNR's web site at the bottom of the HERO home page. The home plans must be rated by the Home Energy Rater of your choice during the planning stage before construction begins. This preliminary rating from plans MUST be conducted, at the very latest, prior to the slab being poured. This preliminary rating from plans MUST then be submitted to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources by the Home Energy Rater. New Homes that do not meet this requirement are disqualified from participation in the HERO Program.

Contact an Energy Rater from the list of Louisiana Home Energy Raters at our web site http://www.dnr.state.la.us and click on HERO. The Home Energy Rater will check if funding is available. This is necessary to confirm that money is available to fund the cash rebate before the homeowner/homebuilder incurs the expense of an energy rating.

Have the Energy Rater conduct an energy rating (from house plans, prior to beginning any construction) to determine eligibility and calculate the rebate amount. The home has to rate at least 86 points on the ERHL rating scale to qualify for the program. An 86 point score also qualifies a new home for an EPA Energy Star classification.

The homeowner/homebuilder must submit a completed IRS form W-9 to the rater upon their initial meeting. The W-9 is required before DNR can begin processing any application. W-9's can be obtained from the Energy Rater or from the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, http://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf.
If the rated home is located in the territory of a participating utility company, the homeowner/homebuilder must also supply to the rater upon their initial meeting, his/her customer account number to qualify for any additional $100 utility rebate.

The Energy Rater must send a copy of the preliminary rating files and preliminary rating certificate (ERHL Form 1119) to DNR within 2 weeks of initial contact with the homeowner/homebuilder in Step One. The deadline may be extended by the rater contacting DNR before time limit expires.

The homeowner/homebuilder has six months after DNR receives the preliminary rating from the rater to complete construction. This deadline may be extended by the rater contacting DNR before the time limit expires.

After construction is completed, the homeowner/homebuilder will contact the Energy Rater to conduct the on-site testing and provide the final rating.

The Energy Rater will provide a copy of the final rating files and ERHL Form 1119 to DNR, as well as to the homeowner/homebuilder.

DNR will mail the rebate check to the homeowner/homebuilder within 90 days of receipt and approval of the final rating.

Any applicable utility company $100 rebates to help cover the cost of the required home energy rating will be added to the HERO rebate check and itemized on the check stub to the homeowner/homebuilder.
(These rebates are for a limited time only, and only apply in specific service areas - inquire with your rater to see if they are still in effect at the time of your rating)

Note : All rebates are dependant upon the home increasing in efficiency by at least 30%.

II. Improving An Existing Home at Purchase or Refinance

Note: In order to utilize HERO in conjunction with an Energy Efficient Mortgage to make improvements to an existing home at the time of purchase or refinance, application for HERO must be made prior to application for the loan.

Confirm lender allows Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs). If the lender is unfamiliar with EEMs, have the lender contact the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at 1-800-836-9589 (342-3842 in Baton Rouge). To learn more about EEMs, consult the Energy Efficient Mortgage section at the website http://www.erha.com/louisiana.

Contact an Energy Rater from the list of Louisiana Home Energy Raters at our web site http://www.dnr.state.la.us and click on Home Energy Rebate Option (HERO). The Home Energy Rater will check if funding is available. This is necessary to confirm that money is available to fund the cash rebate before the homeowner/homebuyer incurs the expense of an energy rating.

Have the Energy Rater conduct an energy rating to determine eligibility, calculate the Energy Efficiency Premium, and make energy efficiency improvement recommendations.

The homeowner/homebuyer must submit a completed IRS form W-9 to the rater upon their initial meeting. The W-9 is required before DNR can begin processing any application. W-9's can be obtained from the Energy Rater or from the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, http://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf.
If the rated home is located in the territory of a participating utility company, the homeowner/homebuyer must also supply to the rater, upon their initial meeting, his/her customer account number to qualify for the additional $100 utility rebate.

The Energy Rater must send a copy of the preliminary rating files and a preliminary rating certificate (ERHL Form 1119) to DNR within 2 weeks of initial contact with the homeowner/homebuyer in Step Two. Homeowner/homebuyer will then have six months to close loan, complete improvements and request payment. Deadlines may be extended by the rater contacting DNR before time limit expires.

Homeowner/home buyer will choose from among improvement recommendations and get firm bids.

Homeowner/home buyer will submit bids to the Energy Rater so that rating can be finalized based on selected improvements and firm bids. The final rating on the improved home has to increase by at least six points on the ERHL rating schedule to qualify for the program.

Homeowner/home buyer will use final rating and firm bids to close EEM. Funds for improvements will be escrowed by lender or lender's agent

Homeowner/home buyer will complete energy improvements during the time period allowed by the EEM.

After completion of improvements, homeowner/home buyer will contact the rater to inspect the work and provide a Certificate of Completion (ERHL Form 701).

Homeowner/home buyer will provide Certificate of Completion to the lender to release the money from escrow and pay the contractor.
Note: In accordance with EEM procedures, if work is not completed, the money in escrow will be applied toward the principle balance on the mortgage.

The Energy Rater will provide final rating certificate and Certificate of Completion to DNR as well as to the homeowner/homebuyer.

DNR will mail the rebate check to the homeowner/home buyer within 90 days of receipt and approval of the final rating.

Any applicable utility company $100 rebates to help cover the cost of the required home energy rating will be added to the HERO rebate check and itemized on the check stub to the homeowner/home buyer.
(These rebates are for a limited time only, and only apply in specific service areas - inquire with your rater to see if they are still in effect at the time of your rating)

Note : All rebates are dependant upon the home increasing in efficiency by at least 30%.

III. Improving an Existing Home Without Using an Energy Efficient Mortgage

Note: In order for Existing Homes to participate in the HERO Program, the participant must choose a Louisiana HERO Certified Home Energy Rater from the list of "Certified Home Energy Raters" located at DNR's web site at the bottom of the HERO home page. A preliminary rating of the existing home, as it is before improvements, MUST be conducted by the Home Energy Rater of your choice prior to any energy efficient improvements being made to the existing home. This preliminary rating of the existing home, as it is before improvements, MUST then be submitted to the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources by the Home Energy Rater. Existing Homes that do not meet this requirement are disqualified from participation in the HERO Program.

Contact an Energy Rater from the list of Louisiana Home Energy Raters at our web site http://www.dnr.state.la.us and click on Home Energy Rebate Option (HERO). The Home Energy Rater will check if funding is available. This is necessary to confirm that money is available to fund the cash rebate before the homeowner incurs the expense of an energy rating.

Have the Energy Rater conduct an energy rating (prior to any energy efficient improvements being made to the existing home) to determine eligibility, calculate the Energy Efficiency Premium, and make improvement recommendations.

The homeowner must submit a completed IRS form W-9 to the rater upon their initial meeting. The W-9 is required before DNR can begin processing any application. W-9's can be obtained from the Energy Rater or from the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, http://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf.
If the rated home is located in the territory of a participating utility company, the homeowner must also supply to the rater, upon their initial meeting, his/her customer account number to qualify for the additional $100 utility rebate.

The Energy Rater must send a copy of the preliminary rating files and preliminary rating certificate (ERHL Form 1119) to DNR within 2 weeks of initial contact with the homeowner in Step Two. The homeowner will then have six months to complete improvements and request his/her final rating. Deadlines may be extended by the rater contacting DNR before time limit expires.

Homeowner will choose from among improvement recommendations and get firm bids.

Homeowner will submit bids to energy rater so that rating can be finalized based on selected improvements and firm bids. The final rating on the improved home has to increase by at least 6 points on the ERHL rating schedule to qualify for the program.

After completion of the improvements, the homeowner will contact the rater to inspect the work and produce the final rating report.

The Energy Rater will provide the final rating report to DNR as well as to the homeowner.

DNR will mail rebate check to the homeowner within 60 days of receipt and approval of the final rating.

Any applicable utility company $100 rebates to help cover the cost of the required home energy rating will be added to the HERO rebate check and itemized on the check stub to the homeowner.
(These rebates are for a limited time only, and only apply in specific service areas - inquire with your rater to see if they are still in effect at the time of your rating)

Note : All rebates are dependant upon the home increasing in efficiency by at least 30%.